JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Children younger than 16 could avoid future federal regulation and continue to work on their parents' farms under legislation passed by Missouri's Senate.
The federal government proposed rules last year that would have prevented children from doing certain agricultural work.
That proposal was eventually scrapped, but the Missouri Senate nonetheless passed its own legislation Monday by a 33-0 vote. The bill now goes to the House.
The Senate measure would exempt children doing farm work from getting a work certificate and from limits on the number of hours and days they can work. Children would only need the consent of their parents to work on the family's farm.
The bill was sponsored by Republican Sen. Brian Munzlinger, of Williamstown.
